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Feb. 25, 1973 – After a 17-day spring training lockout, owners and players agree on a three-year contract establishing salary arbitration and incorporating terms of the players’ pension plan. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s 1972 decision upholding MLB’s antitrust exemption, the players choose to negotiate an agreement that does not address the free agency issue. No games are canceled. (On Feb. 28, player representatives vote 22-0 to ratify the agreement. Two were absent.)

Principals

Commissioner Bowie Kuhn

MLB: John Gaherin, Brewers owner Ed Fitzgerald (PRC chief)

MLBPA: Executive Director Marvin Miller, General Counsel Richard Moss

Player reps: Reggie Jackson, Brooks Robinson

Issues

Term: 1973 – December 31, 1975

Minimum Salary: The minimum salary is increased to $15,000 for 1973 and 1974, and $16,000 for 1975.

Salary Arbitration: Beginning with the 1973-’74 off-season, an arbitration procedure is put in place for resolving salary disputes between owners and players. Players with at least two years of service are eligible to submit their salaries for arbitration, with no limit on the number of times a player may do so. The arbitration period runs from Feb. 1 to 11, when 14 judges are available to hear cases, choosing either the figure submitted by the club or the figure submitted by the player. Owners provide 1973 salary information to arbitrators but refuse to provide the same information to the players’ union. The union files a complaint with the NLRB, then collects its own clearinghouse of salary information from its members.

Tender deadline: The deadline for teams to offer contracts for the following season to unsigned players is moved from January 15 to December 20.

"Ten-and-Five" Rule: Any player with at least 10 years of Major League service and at least five years with the same club may not be traded or sold without his consent.

Assignments: A player with at least five years of Major League service may not be assigned to the minor leagues without his consent.

Pay Cuts: Maximum pay cuts of 20 percent in one season and 30 percent over two seasons remain in effect.

Winners’ Shares: The minimum World Series share is increased from $15,000 to $20,000.